If you file as Married Filing Separately you are going to lose or reduce credits on your tax return along with having a higher tax bracket.
See this TurboTax support FAQ for filing jointly versus separately - https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/married/help/is-it-better-for-a-married-couple-to-file-jointly-or-...
You can file as Married Filing Jointly even if one spouse has little or no income. If your spouse has debts then file a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation so that your portion of the tax refund cannot be seized.
See this TurboTax support FAQ for a Form 8379 - https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/accessing/help/how-do-i-file-form-8379-injured-spouse-allocation/0...
